Improvement in hand canceling-stamps



` E. H. THOMAS. rl-land-Ca-nlling Stamps.

- Patentedlune 3,1873.` ,1

ifqNo. 139,486.

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l IU'NI'I'ED A STATES ERNEST H. THOMAS, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

IMPROVEMENT IN HAND CANCELING-STAMPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 139,486, dated June 3,1873 application filed May 21, 1,672.

To all whom it may concern: l

`Be it known that I, ERNEST H. THOMAS, of the city of Louisville, countyofJei'erson, and State of Kentucky, have invented certain Improvementsin a Hand Canceling-Stamp, ot' which the following is a speciiication:

The object of this invention isto provide a neat and simple device forhand printing or canceling purposes, that will be self inking, 'and atthe same time make as neat and sharp impressions as any of the bestprinting presses now 1n use.

lFigure 1 lof the drawing is a perspective view ot' the device whenthrown open, showing the stamp-cylinder, inking-rollers, andink-fountain. Fig. 2 is an elevation view ot' the device when closed up,showing the end of the stamp-cylinder and link attachments, also theoperating-stem and spring thereon, in section. Fig. 3 is a section of'the stampcylinder, showing the stamp and pieces of gum under it. Fig. 4is a perspective view of the cylinder, showing the stamp as set therein.Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the stamp-plate, showing how the names anddates are inserted therein.

In the drawing, A is the handle, which is generally made of wood. B isthe frame or jaws of the device, all of which are made of metal, of therequired thickness or strength, and in form as shown in the drawing. Cis the type-form or stamp-cylinder, all ot` which is made of metal,about two inches long and one and three-eighths inch in diameter, closedat the ends. -In form it consists of about two-thirds of a circle,leaving one side Hat in order to admit of an opening sufficiently largeto receive the type or stamps, and also deep enough to give room forpieces ot' gum under them in order to be elastic to relieve the shock instamping; but when dies are used for stamping, they are formed on aplate of suitable shape and size, and made to slide into the cylinderthrough grooves cut iu the inside edges, but at the same time made torest hard on the gum under it; but when type alone are used, one or morepieces of the gum are taken out and the type-form set in their places,and fastened in any suitable manner. D Dl are inking-rollers, one ofwhich is made of the composition ordinarily used for such purposes,`while the other is made of common felt, and only acts as a conveyer forinking the e 'linder, and not the type. H H are the arms of thehiking-roller, one end of which is made to work loosely on a pin in theends ot' the cylinder-shaft, so as to vibrate easily, while in the otherend there are slotopenings in which the journals ot' the roller work inorder to permitit to raise or lower iu passing over the uneven surfaceof the cylinder and stamps in the process ot inking. It is provided witha spring, din the openings ove'r the journals tokeep it up against tlrjesurface ofthe cylinder and stamps in inking. G G are links at the endsot' the cylinder, one ot' which is made to work loosely on a pin in thearms H H, about one-haltl inch from the lower end where it connects withthe cylinder-shaft, while the other connects with the ends of thecylinder in a similar manner the same distance from the center, in orderto answer as a crank to give motion to it and the roller D for thepurpose ot' inking the stamps. The upper ends of these last-named `linksG G are slipped over and made to work loosely on the ends of a small barworking through slot-openings in the side of the fra-me, so as to permitit to be raised or lowered..

This bar constitutes the cross-piece ot' the operating stem L, to whichit is `attached at thie center. The stem L extends up through thehandle, and has a spiral spring, N, around it within the handle for thepurpose ot' replacing it after being pressed down to ink the stamps J,which is done by pressing down the stem L while the stamp is raised fromthe paper. By this means motion is transmitted to. the cylinder C androller D, causing the A two surfaces to revolve on each other, andthereby distribute the ink over the stamp at each impression. B is thesta-nd or arm of the ink-conveyer roll D. This arm connects with a baracross the back cap, and is provided with a spiral spring, S, attachedto the cap to hold the roller D in position. F is` the ink-fountain,which is made of metal inclosed at all sides, leaving only a small spaceat the inside edge for the distributingaoller P to work in. This roll ismade of ordinary felt. Both the iukfountain l and conveyerroller D arefastened to the cap for convenience in supplying it with ink, but whenclosed up ready for use, the conveyer-roller D rests on the cylinder C,and also at times against the'fountain-roller P; and as the cylinder Cturns, ink is distributed over its surface, which is again taken up bythe inking-roller D and transferred to the type or sta-mp as it passesover them. J is the stamp and plate, the die of which may be providedwith any suitable design, but when used for canceling letters or othersimilar purposes, an opening is left in the plate, where the date,postmasters name, and that of the different mails should appear, and asmall die inserted containing these names and date in such a manner asto be easily chan ged Without loss of time, they being held in theirplaces by a ange on the under side, countersunk in the plate. R is thedie containing the names or date.

ERNEST H. THOMAS.

Witnesses:

E. F. HUYoK, E. BARBAROUX.

